SACKED minister Hannah Blythyn made a statement about her dismissal today, overshadowing the latest legislative programme for Wales.

The former social partnership minister’s statement came immediately before First Minister Vaughan Gething delivered his planned programme of government.

Ms Blythyn said: “I know that I can look all my colleagues that sit on these benches in the eye and say that I have never leaked or briefed to the media.”

Mr Gething sacked the MS, alleging that she was the source of a story about a message he sent telling colleagues he was deleting messages from a pandemic-era group chat.

The First Minister’s decision to sack Ms Blythyn contributed to the collapse of the co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru and losing a vote of no confidence in the Senedd.

“I have formally raised concerns about the process by which I was removed from government, including not being shown any alleged evidence before being sacked, not being made aware that I was ever under investigation and that at no point was I advised or was it evidenced that I may have broken the ministerial code,” Ms Blythyn said.

An uncomfortable-looking First Minister said his government is committed to improving transport networks and helping to tackle the climate emergency. 

Mr Gething said there would be a reshaping of the public transport system, including a Bus Bill, and will bring forward an Environmental Principles and Biodiversity Bill. 

He said: “This will establish a statutory environmental governance body for Wales, embed environmental principles into Welsh law, and introduce a legal duty with targets to protect and restore biodiversity.”

In a nod to the British government’s plans to reform planning law in England, Mr Gething promised to bring forward similar changes to “simplify and modernise the law in this area” in Wales.